Pure As Snow
by inugrl21
Summary: Based on Snow White. Ever since her brother disappeared, Kagome has been under house arrest. Now, one psychotic feline later, she finds herself somewhere she never thought she'd be.
1. Curiousity and the Cat

Pure As Snow

Chapter 1

Curiosity and the Cat

Higurashi Kagome sighed as she stared listlessly out her bedroom window. It was the weekend and while all other 16 year old girls were out enjoying their lives, Kagome was forced to stay home. She really couldn't blame her mother and grandfather for being overprotective. They were just afraid that they would lose her like they lost Souta.

'Gods, it's been almost 6 months and there hasn't been hide nor hair of him since he vanished.'

It had been the morning of her 16th birthday and a normal school morning as usual. She was running a few minutes behind schedule so Souta had left just before her. She had been surprised when she saw him standing at the door to the well-house with a bowl of cat food in one hand.

"_Nee-chan."_

"_Souta, what are you doing? You're going to be late for school."_

"_But, Buyo's down there and you know how gramps gets," he whined._

_She rolled her eyes. "Alright. But don't be late for school. Ack! I'm going to be late! Bye, Souta!" _

And she had left. Little did she know that her brother disappeared shortly after and she had been the last one to see him.

'If only I'd stayed instead of running off like an idiot.' Kagome sniffled and swiped a hand over her eyes. 'It's not going to do any good to cry. It won't bring him back.'

Of course there were still posters with Souta's face plastered over the city, but after half a year, hope was thin.

"Kagome!"

Her mother's voice ringing through the house brought Kagome back to reality. "Yes, Mama?"

"I'm going out and your grandfather's in the storage rooms. I'll be back in an hour. Don't leave the grounds."

Heaving a sigh at her mother's over-concern, she answered in a slightly exasperated voice, "Yes, Mama, I know."

"Don't take that tone with me, young lady."

She cringed at the reprimand. 'Ah well. Not much else I can do but finish my homework.' But instead of pulling out her textbooks, Kagome found herself wandering over to her window. She had a view overlooking the courtyard between the family's house and the well-house. 'How ironic.'

Just as she was about to turn away, movement caught her eye. 'Is…is that Buyo? No, that cat is too thin to be Buyo. I wonder whose it is.'

Kagome watched as the cream colored cat slunk across the yard towards the well-house and its open door. 'Wait. Open door? We always make sure it's shut just in case. I'd better go down and shut it before something else happens.' With that thought, Kagome turned and padded out her door to the stairs.

When she reached the well-house doors, the cream-colored cat was nowhere to be found. Thinking nothing of it, Kagome climbed the three steps to the door. A mew from inside the building grabbed her attention. 'Whoa. Déjà vu much.' She slid the door the rest of the way open and stepped inside, intent on getting the damn cat out.

"Here kitty, kitty, kitty."

"Mew."

The sound was coming from down by the well. Kagome took a deep breath to settle her nerves and slowly made her way down to the well.

"Here kitty, kitty, kitty. Get your furry little butt out here."

"Mew."

By now she was standing in front of the well, staring into the blackness of its depth. 'I thought Grandpa said the well was covered and sealed. Hmm.' She shrugged her shoulders and didn't even try to understand. Her grandfather had always been something of a loon when it came to…well, anything really, but mostly the shrine. She even remembered one time she had been sick with a cold and he had called it in as neuralgia. Go figure.

"Mew."

Startled, Kagome whirled around. The cream colored cat was sitting on the steps leading out of the pit, just as happy as could be.

"There you are. Don't scare me like that. Come on, let's get out of here before we get in trouble and I'll give you some cream, hmm? Would you like that?"

"Mew." The cat blinked its reddish eyes and swished its tails in pleasure at the thought of a favorite treat.

'Huh? Tails?' Kagome stared in disbelief at the cat, who, on closer inspection, did indeed have TWO tails ringed in black. 'What the heck?'

She was about to step closer to examine this phenomenon when the cat suddenly leapt at the unsuspecting girl. Since she was already at the edge of the well, it only took one step back for Kagome to trip and careen over the sides INTO the well. Before she blacked out from shock, she had one final thought.

'I wonder if this happened to Souta.'

* * *

'Ow. My head.' 

This was her first conscious thought upon waking. She had a splitting headache. 'Wait till

I get my hands on that damn cat. Then we'll see who has the headache.'

Opening her eyes was the next order of business. She gently pried them open with her

fingers, seeing as they wouldn't open by themselves. 'Why is it everything always seems so bright when you have head trauma?' Finally she managed to keep her eyes open without aid and went about trying to sit up. This wasn't so difficult as long as she moved very slowly.

After a couple of minutes of not throwing up, Kagome decided to try to get out of the well. Looking around her yielded two facts. One, there was a vine clinging to the inside of the well that looked sturdy enough to climb and two, that it was so bright because there was no longer a ceiling to the well-house. She could look up and see blue sky, white clouds, and the occasional bird. 'When did Grandpa do that, I wonder? It wasn't like that before and I can't have been knocked out that long.'

Judging that she was hale enough to climb, Kagome began her ascent out of the well. Upon reaching the top, she found that Grandpa hadn't just removed the roof, but had leveled the entire structure. And had also torn up the sidewalks and planted new grass and trees. 'Okay now I'm confused. I KNOW I wasn't out for that long. So what's the deal here?'

A soft scuffling beside the well drew her attention. It was that cat!

"WHY YOU LITTLE…"

With a startled mew, the cat dodged Kagome's grasping hands and darted into the forest. She was soon in hot pursuit of the treacherous feline and so intent on catching the thing that she didn't notice her surroundings. All too soon, she was lost and the cat was nowhere to be found. Feeling a bit nervous now that she wasn't angry, Kagome began trying to retrace her steps. Unfortunately, she had become so wrapped up in her revenge, that she had no idea of where to go.

'Well it can't get much worse than this. No food, no idea where I am, and no aspirin. Not to mention that Mama and Grandpa are probably worried sick by now. What a mess.'

Kagome gazed around her, hoping that something would pop out and be familiar. Nothing did. Sighing, she flopped down on the grass in order to rest a bit. No sooner had she lain down, then she was asleep.

* * *

'Why am I so cold?' Kagome patted around her body in search of her blanket so she could warm up, but her hand encountered nothing but grass. Slowly blinking awake, she stared dully at the ground and wondered why she was sleeping on it and not in her own comfortable bed. Then realization hit her. 'I'm not home. I don't know where I am.' 

Sitting up, she took stock of her environment. 'Trees, trees, trees. Oh, night. Trees, trees, trees, more trees, a campfire, trees…wait a minute. Campfire! Yes, I'm saved.' Now that she had some kind of destination, she felt better. Her headache was gone as well, though it was probably the sleep and not the prospect of salvation that cured it.

After dusting off her clothes, Kagome carefully made her way towards the light in the distance. She was lucky that the moon was a good portion of the way full and it gave her more light to navigate by. She only tripped on roots a couple of times and walked into only one tree. By her watch, it took almost a half hour to reach the firelight and by the time she came within distance, she was beginning to feel apprehensive. 'I hope I don't get mugged or killed. Or even worse, stuck with boring people.'

The source of light was not a campfire as first expected, but rather a small hut. She approached the entryway and knocked on the frame. "Hello? Is anyone here? I'm lost and I saw your fire. Do you mind if I come in?"

No one answered her. 'I guess they must be out somewhere, but they left the fire burning so they must be back soon. I'll wait inside and hope they don't mind.'

She pushed aside the reed mat covering the doorway and stepped into the first room. It was a quaint little space with only the necessary accoutrements. She slipped off the sandals she had put on before leaving her house earlier and stepped farther into the hut. There appeared to be two other rooms adjoining the front living space. She decided she may as well explore since she was there and set off towards the back rooms.

These were the bedrooms it seemed. Both rooms contained two trunks for clothes and personal items and a small closet to house futons when not in use. One of the rooms was slightly larger then the other, so Kagome assumed this was the master bedroom. The rooms were on opposite sides of a small hallway which lead from the front room to a locked door just past the bedrooms. 'Hm. How odd to have a locked door in the back when the front door is completely open.' Shrugging off the mystery, she returned to the front room and contemplated the small fire pit in the middle of the area. Glancing around showed the makings for a simple dinner of rice and miso soup were ready to be prepared.

'It's the least I can do for having barged into their house.'

In a short while, the rice was cooking and the miso soup was boiling, so she opted for taking a short nap. Their were several blankets nestled in the corner for cold winter nights and those would make a very comfortable bed so she could keep an eye on the food. Before she knew what was happening, Kagome was out.

* * *

"Who do you think she is?" 

"I don't know, but she's pretty."

"You think everyone is pretty, Rin"

"I do not."

"Do too."

'Huh? What's all the racket? I'm trying to sleep.' She rolled over in her nest, trying to get away from the voices.

"Look she moved."

"We all saw her move, Shippou, you baka."

"Shut up, Souten. Where's Kaede?"

"How should I know? She was walking just behind us with those two, so she shouldn't be too much longer."

Kagome couldn't help but get annoyed at the bantering. There was something important she needed to remember and she couldn't with four people talking around her. She groaned and ignored the small gasps that sounded at her movement.

"What be going on here, children?" This was a new voice and seemed much older than the others.

"Kaede, we came home and she was just asleep in the corner. It looks like she made our dinner for us though."

"Thank you, Kanna. Go help the others put things away and I will speak to this young woman."

There was no answer, but she heard the shuffling of small feet disappear down the hall towards one of the bedrooms. A moment later, a hand gently shook her shoulder in order to rouse her. "Mm. I'm up already." Rolling herself so her back was parallel to the floor and an arm was carelessly draped over the top of her head, she cracked open her eyes.

A kindly old face met her gaze, the only odd thing being the patch covering the right eye. Kagome allowed her own eyes to widen and take in more of the personage. The old woman appeared to be around sixty and was stooped with her age. As a result she stood no higher than Kagome's shoulder. Despite her stature and age, or maybe because of it, the woman radiated calm strength and patience. She was immediately respected and liked by the younger girl.

"What be your name, child?"

Even the old woman's voice was pleasant and soothing. "Kagome, ma'am"

The old woman smiled gently, "I am Kaede. What brings you to this wood this night?"

Kagome sighed, "It's a rather long story, but the short of it is, I'm lost. I saw the light from your fire and made my way here. In repayment for entering your home uninvited, I prepared supper. Then, I fell asleep in this corner. Forgive me for my presumption."

"There is no need for forgiveness. All who travel are welcome in my home and those who are lost, even more so. Now come, you shall meet the rest of the household. Children!"

In answer to Kaede's call, four small bodies launched themselves out of the hall. They managed to not destroy anything in the small tornado that ensued, which was a feat in itself. When they finally collapsed on the floor, Kagome received a small shock. Three of the kids were youkai! The boy and two of the girls had the jyaki that Kagome had been able to sense ever sense her grandfather insisted on training her to be a miko. The third child, a young girl dressed in an orange and yellow checkered kimono, with her black hair tied half up and to one side and soft brown eyes, was purely human and cute as anything.

"These are my wards. The youngest is Rin." Kaede indicated the human girl.

"Hello, Rin. I'm Kagome." She smiled at the girl, who blushed and hid behind the youkai boy.

Kaede chuckled at Rin's antics. "She's a shy one at first, but don't worry. The one she is hiding behind is Shippou."

"I'm a kitsune." The boy stated proudly. And sure enough he was. If the bright red hair, brilliant green eyes, and pointed ears weren't enough, he also had a fluffy tail and little fox feet, in place of human ones. He was short, no taller then Kagome's knee and was wearing theold fashionedhakama and kimono, covered by a fur vest. A blue bow pulled his hair back into a pony tail.

"Funny. I thought you were a tanuki." It was one of the youkai girls. She had her neat black hair pulled back into two buns at the base of her neck and reddish-brown eyes, plus the tell-tale pointed ears. She was attired in a mini version of formal armor, which almost made her look like a boy.

"Shut up, Souten. At least it's better than being a stinky thunder youkai."

"You take that back, Shippou."

"Children, hush. There will be no fighting in this house. Am I understood?"

Both youkai sheepishly avoided Kaede's gaze and mumbled agreement. Kaede turned to Kagome, an apologetic gleam to her eye. "I'm sorry, Kagome. Shippou and Souten are usually at odds with one another. Shippou's parents were killed by two thunder youkai and Souten lost her kin in the battle for their vengeance, though neither is to blame for either catastrophe."

"No, of course not. So they're orphans?"

Kaede sighed, "Yes. All the children who stay with me are either orphans or have nowhere to go. There are two other boys, but they are out chopping firewood and should be back momentarily."

"I see. And who is this little one?"

Kagome glanced to the final youkai girl. She was almost eerie in her appearance with snow white hair, pitch black eyes, and almost no expression on her face. She clutched a mirror to her chest, as if it were attached to her hands. Her manner expressed either extreme politeness or complete lack of emotion. Her dress tended to bring to mind the latter as the outfit was pure white with no color whatsoever. Even the flower adorning her hair was white.

"This is Kanna. She is not a normal youkai. She was created rather than born. Her creator instilled in her the properties of Void," Kaede explained.

'That explains the white, the mirror, and the almost nonexistent jyaki.' However Kagome didn't think it would be polite to bring up such issues at the moment. "And what of the other two, Kaede?"

Crunching of twigs and the laughter of young boys answered her inquiry, as Kaede turned to greet the final members of her patchwork family. The first to enter was a lanky youth of about 12, with freckles dotting the bridge of his nose and his dark hair pulled into a high ponytail. He was dressed in a plain yukata.

"Ah, Kohaku. I would like you to meet our guest. This is Kagome."

The boy blushed and muttered his greeting.

Kaede looked behind Kohaku to the mat. "Kohaku, where is…"

"Here I am. I was just putting the wood in the shed."

Kagome froze at the sound of the other boy's voice. 'It can't be. After all this time.'

The final child entered the hut and didn't even notice the shocked girl in the corner. He looked almost the same as last time she saw him, if not a bit taller and with slightly longer hair. He would be ten now, as his birthday had passed while he was gone.

Tears began to roll down her cheeks as all conversation in the hut was blocked from her ears. 'Souta.'

"Souta." Her voice was barely above a whisper, but he somehow heard her. Swiveling his head to see who had called his name so softly, his eyes locked onto her face, astonishment overtaking the curiousity in his gaze.

"Nee-chan?"


	2. Reunions and Secrets

Chapter 2

Reunions and Secrets

Light flickered through the gaps in the reed door, striking Kagome dead on in the face, while birds twittered in the trees.

'Damn Buyo. Always climbing onto the sill and messing up my curtains. How many times have I told him to stop getting up there?'

"Nee-chan? Are you awake yet?"

Kagome groaned and rolled over to face the wall. 'Stupid dreams about Souta. Always make me feel bad. But they usually don't shake…me…awake…huh?' For indeed someone was shaking her shoulder and calling for "nee-chan" to get up.

'Oh my god!' She bolted up and whirled around to find Souta kneeling back from her in a classic manga 'startled' pose (Takahashi's infamous hand gesture). 'It was real. I found him!' With that thought, she proceeded to pounce on her younger brother and squeeze him to death, as images from the prior night's events flitted through her head.

"_Nee-chan?" Souta's voice rang with uncertainty as he watched Kagome rise zombie-like to her feet. She haltingly moved towards the young boy._

"_Ototo-chan? I'm not dreaming again, am I? It's really you?" She reached Souta and stared down into his eyes. "You won't disappear if I touch you? All my other dreams ended that way." _

_Kagome slowly stretched out her hand to caress the side of his face. When her brother didn't disintegrate into dust, she sobbed loudly and gathered him to her in a crushing embrace that Souta returned eagerly._

"_Oh, Gods, Souta! We've all been so worried about you! Mama and Grandpa, your friends, even Buyo. We all thought you'd been kidnapped or worse. What happened to you? How did you end up here? Why didn't you come home?"_

During her ramblings, Kagome had released the boy and sunk to her knees in front of him. She began to pat him all over to make certain that he was truly alive and well. Poor Souta was bawling his eyes out at the sight of long wished for face. He had grown accustomed to his new friends in this strange world, but they didn't compare to his sister. Since Kagome wouldn't stop chattering, Souta simply threw his arms around his Nee-chan's neck and buried his face into her shoulder.

Kaede had allowed them a few more minutes of grateful sobbing before interrupting with the suggestion of dinner and a chance to compare stories. Over miso and rice, the truth slowly came to light.

On the morning of his disappearance, Souta had witnessed Buyo entering the well house. Afraid of both the dark building and what their grandfather might do to the obese calico, he had gotten some cat food in order to entice the cat out. When Buyo wouldn't come out on his own, Souta had clambered down to fetch him. All he could remember was that one moment he had Buyo in his arms and the next, something had grabbed him from behind and pulled him down the well.

"_That was how I found him," Kaede said. "I was walking past the Bone-Eater's well, when I heard crying coming from the bottom."_

The rest was, as they say, history. Kaede had taken in the poor shaken boy and cared for him. Six months passed slowly and Souta gradually came to accept that he was stuck here.

"_But, now that you're here, Nee-chan, we can go home." Souta's eyes brightened at the thought of seeing his mother again, while Kagome's dimmed in realization._

'_How can we go back if we don't know how we got here in the first place?' Kagome didn't want to upset her brother, so she slapped the brightest smile she could muster onto her face, and suggested they talk more in the morning._

Sleep quickly followed and the emotion-filled night passed.

Now it was morning and Kagome still didn't know what to tell her brother. 'Maybe if I get a look outside, I could think of something.'

"I see you are both awake." Kagome released her brother from her death grip, as Kaede walked into the front room.

"Yes, Kaede-baachan," piped Souta. "I was thinking that after breakfast I could show Nee-chan around some."

Kaede grinned, her one eye crinkling up at the edge, "That sounds like a fine idea. But first, come help me build a fire."

"Okay!" Souta scrambled up and out the doorway, surely on his way to the woodshed. Kagome watched him leave, her heart lighter than it had been in ages. 'I've got to find a way back home, so Mama and Grandpa can relax.'

A hand on her shoulder jolted the girl out of her reverie. She glanced up, from her position on the floor, into the kind face of Kaede. A surge of gratitude welled up and threatened to overwhelm Kagome, if she didn't express her thanks. She opened her mouth to form the words, but the old woman placed a finger against the girl's lips. "There's no need for thanks, Kagome. I would have done, and have done the same for anyone who needs my aid." With that, Kaede returned to preparing the morning meal. After a moment of silence, she spoke again, "Why don't you venture outside for a time? I am sure you are as curious about this place as Souta was when he first arrived."

Kagome pondered that for a bit before shrugging to herself. 'What can it hurt? Besides I was planning on it anyway.'

She stood and was stepping outside the doorway, when Souta came dashing back in, carrying logs and being chased by Rin. The young girl paused when she passed Kagome and smiled tentatively up at the older girl. Kagome couldn't help but grin back. 'She is sooo cute.' "Good morning, Rin-chan."

Rin blushed and stammered out a greeting, before slipping past Kagome into the interior of the hut. Listening to the chatter coming from inside as more of the children awoke and stumbled into the room. Kagome smiled to herself and continued outside.

The morning sun was warm and bright, bathing the small glen in light. Kagome blinked in wonder at the beauty of the forest surrounding her. Green grass as far as she could see, tall pines reaching towards the sky, and beautiful wild flowers dotting the landscape. The gurgling of a stream was coming from behind and to the left of her. Turning around slowly so she could take in all the scenery, Kagome breathed in the cool morning air.

Now facing the hut, Kagome saw what she hadn't seen last night in the dark. The house had been built at the base of an enormous tree. Its trunk was wider than her outstretched arms and the foliage started a good twenty feet from the ground. The strangest thing though was that the hut seemed to be built _around_ the tree. Like one of the rooms should have a tree trunk as part of its wall. But the two other rooms she had seen last night had no evidence of tree trunk walls.

'Unless the locked door leads to another room.'

Kagome had just assumed that the door had led out the back of the small house, but maybe she had been wrong. She started circling to the right to see if she could gauge how large the building really was.

A couple of minutes walking brought Kagome back to the front of the hut. Just as she had expected, the tree was part of the wall of that back room. In fact that locked door seemed to lead to a room that was at least a third the size of the house.

Kagome's curiosity was piqued, to say the least. 'I wonder what's in that room. Why does it have a locked door? Kaede-baachan doesn't seem to be the type to have hidden treasure, but you never know.'

"NEE-CHAN!" Souta's young voice pierced the quiet morning, causing birds and small animals to flee for their lives. Kagome only grinned. 'It's good to have him back.'

* * *

Breakfast was a quiet affair. Well, as quiet as you could get with six kids, five of which were ten-years-old or younger. 

Kagome turned to Kaede, who was calmly sipping her tea, "How do you deal with all this racket, Kaede-baachan?"

The old woman didn't seem to hear her, so Kagome asked again. Still no response. Wondering if something was truly wrong, Kagome shook Kaede's arm. She started and turned to face the young woman, curiosity crossing her features. Reaching up to her ears and pulling out wads of cloth that had been stuffed into the crevices, Kaede asked, "I'm sorry. Did you say something?"

Kagome face-faulted to the floor, but managed to pull herself back together with minor trouble. "Never mind, Kaede-baachan. You already answered my question."

Kaede shrugged then finally noticed how badly the children were behaving. "All of you stop this instant!" Seven pairs of eyes riveted themselves to the old woman now standing menacingly over them. "Outside if you want to roughhouse, but Gods save you if you forget to do your chores." Six bodies flew out of the house, while the last just sat in stunned silence. Kagome had definitely _not_ expected Kaede to take that militant tone of voice with her charges.

"Now, you were saying…" Kaede had seated herself back down and was striking up conversation as if her channeling a drill sergeant's spirit happened every day. 'Maybe it does for all I know,' Kagome thought wryly, a smile twisting her lips. Glancing over at the old woman, she came to a decision. 'Now's as good a time as any to ask about that back room.'

Kagome cleared her throat, "Ne, Kaede-baachan?"

"Yes?"

The girl peered around the room nervously, uncertain of the reaction her question would receive. 'Just do it, girl.' "I was wondering about that locked door at the back of your house."

Kaede stiffened slightly, "Oh? What of it?"

Noticing the tension in the old woman, Kagome winced. 'Something interesting for sure than.' "Nothing much. I just saw when I was outside earlier that you have a large tree making up part of your house." 'Real subtle, Higurashi.' She continued anyway, "So I was just interested in what might be back there."

Kaede relaxed slightly and ran her eyes over the girl knelling before her. The once-over gave Kagome the chills. It was as if Kaede was measuring her for something, seeing if she could stand up to a challenge, whatever that challenge might be.

Eventually Kaede closed her remaining eye in deep thought. Kagome breathed a mental sigh of relief. That gaze had been spooky. She was wondering what the old woman was thinking, when Kaede rose to her feet and shuffled off to one of the backrooms, eye still closed. A few muffled thumps later, she returned with something clasped in her hands. Thankfully she was no longer wandering around blinded. Eye open and sparkling with an unknown emotion, Kaede knelt in front of Kagome again.

"Kaede-baachan, what…"

"Hush, child. I have something to give you." With that, Kaede opened her hands.

Lying on the withered palms was a small orb. About the diameter of a five hundred yen coin, it was a murky pink color, as if someone had rolled it in dirt. Kagome stared at the marble in awe. There was something compelling her to reach out and touch the jewel. For that was what it was. A jewel. She had no idea how she knew this, but know it she did. Extending her hand slightly towards it caused the jewel to pulse with light. Unsure as to what she should actually do, Kagome paused.

"Go ahead, Kagome. It calls to you." Kaede's voice was strange, almost choked. Looking up at the old woman showed that she was staring intently at the jewel, waiting for something to happen. Kagome swallowed hard and glanced back down.

'Wait a minute. Is it…? It is. It's turning white.'

The jewel pulsed again, weaker than before. Finally, Kagome steeled her nerves, closed her eyes, and grasped the jewel.

Nothing happened. No fire and brimstone. No attack of mutant pod people. Just. Nothing.

She opened her eyes and peeked down at the object in her hand. It was now pure white. 'Like snow,' Kagome thought.

A heavy, yet relieved sigh jerked the girl from her thoughts. Kaede had slumped her shoulders and her chin was on her chest. Her breathing was even, as if in sleep. Worried, Kagome set the jewel on the floor and crawled over to the woman. Shaking her gently by the shoulders brought Kaede around. She blinked in confusion, and then glanced at Kagome.

"Where is it?" she asked sounding concerned. Kagome reached behind her and picked up the jewel again. 'Still nothing. What was the point of this than?'

When she caught sight of the white marble, Kaede laughed weakly. "So it _is_ you. You are the one."

Kagome was confused. "The one? What are you talking about? This better not be some weird Matrix rip-off." At Kaede's bemused expression, she waved off her last remark, "Never mind. Just tell me what you mean."

Kaede rose for the second time in so many minutes. "Follow me and I shall explain."

Curiosity overtaking ire, Kagome scurried to her feet and followed the old woman down the hallway. She widened her eyes when she saw Kaede withdraw a key from her kimono. The key was placed in the lock of the door at the back of the house.

'I didn't expect to be shown this so quickly,' Kagome thought in surprise.

"Be wary, child. I do not know what will happen once I open this door."

Before Kagome could protest, Kaede turned the key and opened the locked door.

* * *

A/N: Yay! Second chapter! About bloody time, too. Sorry been off in my own world lately. Homework sucks big time. But anyway, here you go, hope you like. Should get around to Inu soon, okay? But in the meantime, enjoy. 

Remember. Inuyasha is a figment of Takahashi-sama's imagination, not mine.

Reminder. Questions, comments, etc., please review or e-mail me. Love much.


	3. Let Sleeping Beauties Lie

Chapter 6

Let Sleeping Beauties Lie

Darkness was all that met Kagome's eyes when the door was swung open. Kaede slowly entered the room, her arms searching for something just inside the doorway. The sound of rock striking rock startled Kagome as a tiny spark ignited the wick of a lantern. Holding the light aloft, Kaede turned and beckoned for Kagome to follow her.

Kagome almost choked on the lump in her throat. 'This is too strange. I feel like I should be carrying a legendary sword or something.' She couldn't help but laugh at herself, 'What am I thinking? That only happens in fairytales.'

"Kagome?" Kaede's questioning voice jolted the girl. Shaking her head to get rid of her foolishness and slight fear, Kagome stepped over the threshold. She was surprised when, instead of stepping onto more wood floor, her feet encountered something soft yet prickly. Peering down in the weak light, she saw that she was standing barefoot in partially dry grass. 'Strange choice of flooring.'

The door closing behind her caused her to jump and twirl around. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Kaede was still in the room with her. 'Easy, girl. Don't want anyone to think you're paranoid of being locked up in a room or anything.'

Glancing around her revealed almost nothing about the room. Lantern light only reached about five feet in front of the two women and the room was at least twenty feet in length. 'Wait. Was that a flicker of something towards the back? It seemed…silver-ish.'

A hand on her shoulder brought Kagome's attention back to the old woman behind her. Answering the unvoiced question in the girl's eyes, Kaede spoke softly, almost reverently, "I will explain all of this in a moment." A quick nod was Kagome's response.

Kaede sighed and shuffled past Kagome, taking the light with her. Crossing to the back of the room, Kagome stumbled over something lying on the ground. Examination showed that it was a root. She now knew where the gigantic tree was part of the house. The lack of floor made sense now. The roots of the tree, which spread themselves throughout the ground, would not have been…comfortable if wooden planks had covered them over. 'I wonder how sunlight get in here. I didn't notice any windows when I was outside earlier.'

A creak to the right of her indicated where Kaede had gone. Kagome watched as the old woman reached the right-most wall and a rope hanging from the ceiling. A tug on the rope answered the problem of how sunlight entered the room. Two shutters shifted open, uncovering skylights, flooding the enclosed space with sunshine. Blinking her eyelids rapidly re-accustomed Kagome to the brightness of the early afternoon. When dots were no longer dancing across her vision, Kagome brought her attention to the back wall, where she was sure she would see the tree imbedded in a wall.

'Oh. My. God.'

Well, there was the tree, exactly where she expected it to be. The thing she didn't expect was what was on the tree its self.

'A boy.' A boy dressed head-to-toe in brilliant red with long, silver ('That was what the light reflected off of.') hair was leaning against the trunk. Kagome approached slowly, as if afraid to disturb the young man. When she was standing a few feet from him, she noticed his eyes were closed and he seemed to be sleeping. 'Maybe not sleeping,' she thought as she examined the body.

She was now convinced that the boy was dead, due to the arrow protruding from the left side of his chest. 'How sad. He looks so peaceful.' Because Kagome had been gazing into his face, it took her a moment to notice the other odd thing about the poor dead boy. His ears. They were not where they were supposed to be, on the side of his face. Instead, they were perched on top of his head. And of course they couldn't have been normal human ears. No, they had to be the most adorable puppy dog-ears Kagome had ever seen.

Her hands were already reaching for the furry appendages before Kagome knew what she was doing. She paused for moment, wondering if what she wanted to do would be considered inappropriate. 'Undoubtedly, but does it really matter? He won't know the difference.' Resolved, her hands completed their journey and stroked the boy's ears.

'So soft. And surprisingly warm, too.' Satisfying herself with a few more tweaks, Kagome dropped her arms to her side and turned her back to the tree.

"Almost irresistible, aren't they?" Kagome jumped at least two feet into the air, having totally forgotten about Kaede. She blushed heavily and tried to stammer an apology until Kaede's kind chuckle let the girl know everything was forgiven. "I cannot blame you, child. For when he is asleep thusly, is the only time when anyone may touch his ears."

Kagome blinked, "Asleep? I thought he was dead. The arrow…"

A raised palm cut the girl off mid-sentence. "I shall explain. Please sit." Kaede kneeled stiffly in front of the tree and motioned for Kagome to do the same. Once seated, the old woman began her tale.

"A long time ago, fifty years to be precise, there was a powerful priestess named Kikyo. She was beautiful, kind, and blessed with immense spiritual prowess and a pure heart. She was loved by her village and respected by all of those who met her.

"Because of her strength and purity, Kikyo had been entrusted with the guarding of a jewel of great power, the Shikon no Tama." On an impulse, Kagome reached into the pocket where she had stuffed the white marble from before. Kaede smiled gently and nodded when Kagome presented the jewel to her.

"The Shikon no Tama, which you now hold, was created centuries ago by the priestess, Midoriko. Due to all the death and violence caused by the wars of that era, the youkai were getting stronger and much more dangerous. Monks and priestesses were highly prized as combatants and were continuously called upon to subdue the demons. However, Midoriko was the only one capable of purifying youkai souls, and her strength was such that she could purify ten youkai with a single arrow. Naturally, her abilities made her the most feared and hated of all and the demons soon devised a plan to dispose of her. Several hundreds of demons sought out a human vessel in which to create the ultimate youkai. They found a man who was enamored with Midoriko, corrupted his lust-filled heart, and merged with his soul. The monster that was created fought Midoriko for seven days and seven nights until sinking its teeth into her. With the last of her strength, Midoriko captured the youkai's soul within her own heart and thrust both of their souls out of her body. The souls solidified into the Shikon no Tama. From that day forth, the power of the Jewel has needed to be balanced. If an evil person or demon holds it, the Jewel is corrupted and swayed by negativity. If held by a pure-hearted one, the Jewel is purified."

Kagome gulped nervously and licked her lips, "So what you're saying is that this jewel," her hand opened and closed around the jewel convulsively, "is an amplifier for good or evil intentions."

With a grim expression set on her face, Kaede nodded, "Precisely. It is more inclined towards evil, due to the number of youkai souls used to create the monster, but it can only be properly used by one of purest heart."

Kagome shook her head in an effort to believe the old woman's words. "It's too hard to accept now. Please finish the story of Kikyo."

"Very well." Kaede shifted on her knees for a moment before continuing, "Because of the Jewel's aura, many youkai and black-hearted humans were drawn to the village, in hopes of stealing the power for themselves. Kikyo was able to defend against all, save one.

"One day a young hanyou arrived in the forest, following rumors of the Shikon no Tama. He attacked Kikyo. However, instead of killing him straight away, the priestess spared his life, several times in a row, in fact. Every time he would attack, Kikyo would simply pin him down with arrows through his clothing. After several days of this, they finally reached an agreement, where the hanyou would help the priestess protect the Jewel from those who would misuse its power. As time wore on, the two eventually fell in love.

"Unfortunately, it was not to last. No one knows exactly how the rift between the two lovers came about, only the outcome. The hanyou attacked the village and stole the Jewel from its resting place in the shrine. Moments later, Kikyo emerged from the forest, gravely wounded. With her remaining strength, she fired a spelled arrow, trapping the hanyou to this very tree. Soon after, she died, but not before she revealed the details of the spell."

Here, Kaede paused, closing her eye. Kagome was on the edge of her seat, so to speak, waiting to hear about the spell. A couple of moments passed before her curiosity got the better of her.

"Kaede-baachan, you have to tell me the rest." She grasped the old woman's shoulders, "I must know what happened."

Kaede opened her eye and smiled at the young girl. Her expression was sad, yet grateful, as if she'd been waiting a long time for something to happen and it finally had. Her withered hand reached up to rest on Kagome's cheek. When she spoke, her voice was laden with repressed emotions.

"Kagome. You are such a sweet child, as to be worried about what has happened in the past." Straightening her bent frame, Kaede took a deep breath. All the tension that had filled her was released with her exhalation. "Before I continue, I must clarify something. There was only one person whom Kikyo trusted with the information of the spell. Her younger sister, who was training to be a priestess like her elder sibling."

Kagome wilted slightly at the knowledge. "Does that mean I have to go find this younger sister for the rest of the story?"

A shocked look appeared on the old woman's face. "Gods, no. I was merely stating that only one person knows of this spell."

Confused, Kagome stuttered, "T-then wh…"

"I am her younger sister," Kaede explained.

"Oh."

Kaede laughed at the dumbfounded expression Kagome sported. "Do not worry, child. I shall reveal all to you." Sobering somewhat at thoughts of the priestess and the hanyou, Kaede resumed where she had left off, "Kikyo was a forgiving person. So when she set the spell, she placed an opportunity at redemption within it. The hanyou was to sleep for at least fifty years. After these fifty years passed, One would come who was pure of heart and able to pass three tests laid down by Kikyo herself. The first test would be if the One could see past the barrier which rendered both tree and hanyou invisible."

Kagome brightened a bit. 'One down.'

"The second test would be if, when handed the Shikon no Tama, the One could turn the Jewel a white as pure as snow."

'Two down,' she grinned.

"The third and final test will be to see if the One can pull the arrow from Inuyasha's chest, thus freeing him."

Kagome's grin wavered, "Is that his name? Inuyasha?"

Kaede nodded, "Aye, child. His father was a great inu-youkai, who ruled the West. His mother was a princess of the land and a great beauty."

Kagome fixed her eyes onto the boy seemingly forgotten in all the excitement. 'Inuyasha. It suits him.' Realizing what she had thought, Kagome blushed wildly. 'How can I know what suits him or not. For all I know, he could be a sniveling little brat.' But still, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was right. She stood and brought herself closer to examine the strange looking hanyou-boy, Inuyasha.

Her eyes roamed over the hanyou's form, trying to find anything that might reveal a part of his personality. His long hair, now that she looked more closely, was not as silver as she first thought. It was closer to white, with a few silver highlights. Two locks of hair were situated over his shoulders, perfect for playing with or tucking behind ears, if one had ears in the right spot that is. The remainder of the silver-white mass reached to past his waist and than some. 'He's got to have a hell of a time brushing all of that. Maybe he'd let me do it for him. No, bad 'Gome. Let's not go there. You've already molested his ears.' A quick glance at said ears almost had the girl squealing in delight. 'Must. Control. Impulse. To rub.'

In an attempt to control herself, Kagome decided to study his face. 'He looks so young. He can't be much older than me.' The hanyou's face was even and masculine. Black eyebrows winged themselves over his closed eyes. 'I wonder what color they are.' His cheekbones were high enough to give him a fine toned look, but not high enough to make him feminine. His nose was a little wide, almost like someone had squished or broken it when he was younger. His lips… Kagome paused and just stared at his mouth. 'I wonder if they're as soft as they look.' She felt herself leaning forward, but caught herself before she could do anything too embarrassing.

Kagome felt the blush overtaking her normal skin tone. 'I have _really_ got to get a hold of myself.' Slapping herself lightly on overheated cheeks, she took a step back. Her gaze wandered done to the body below the face.

Red. It was everywhere. His haori was red, his hakama were red, even his… no, his under kimono was a cream color. Kagome watched his chest, looking for a sign of breathing. 'No bre…wait, no. Ah, there!' A subtle rise and fall of chest was present, but wouldn't be noticed if one wasn't staring intently. Which Kagome was now doing, although she wasn't paying attention to his breathing. She was examining the smooth muscles that were running just below the surface of the hanyou's shirts. The boy was lean, yet well muscled. Kagome supposed that his arms would as well sculpted as the tiny bit of flesh she could see at the vee of the under kimono. She really couldn't imagine how the rest of his body might look, due to the fact that his clothes were so baggy. Long sleeves covered his hands down to almost the fingertips. Kagome frowned slightly as she noticed the length of his nails. "Like claws.'

The waist of the hakama pulled in the bottom of the haori, accenting a trim waist, but obscuring everything else as the pants belled out and downwards. The fabric was gathered at the ankles, probably so he wouldn't trip on the legs. His feet were bare and looked as if he had never worn a pair of shoes in his life.

Her initial once-over complete, Kagome decided to go through the process a couple more times. The hanyou was perfect. Well, physically at least. The only mar that Kagome could see was the arrow that penetrated Inuyasha's chest, right where his heart was. That and the fact that she still didn't know what color his eyes were. 'They've got to be something exotic, like the deepest blue possible or something.'

Kagome stared into the hanyou's face once more. She was so occupied with her perusal that she didn't hear Kaede step up behind her.

"Kagome."

"ACK!" The poor girl leapt a mile into the air. She whirled around to face the older woman, "Kaede-baachan, don't scare me like that." She placed her hand over her hand in an attempt to quell the pounding. "Hey, question. How can he be breathing if his heart's been used as a pincushion?"

Kaede shrugged, "One of the many things I don't know. Perhaps part of the spell."

Kagome turned back towards the hanyou, frowning. "That just doesn't seem right. If he's breathing, his heart should be beating." She stepped forward till she was toe-to-toe with him. She reached her hand up until the arrow was between the gap of her thumb and forefinger, fingertips hovering but not touching fabric. Swallowing her indecision, Kagome placed her hand upon his chest.

Nothing at first. Then slowly, softly, Kagome felt a beat coming from Inuyasha's heart. One, pause, pause, pause. Two, pause, pause. Three, pause. Four. Five. Her heart was accelerating along with his, beating a staccato against her ribs. Moments passed and the beating only grew stronger, until it was reverberating throughout her entire body.

Kagome barely heard Kaede's soft gasp of wonder she was concentrating so hard on keeping her hand where it was on his chest, just below the arrow. She was amazed at the feeling of power running through both her and the hanyou, pulsing in time with their hearts.

Suddenly the desire to grasp the arrow just above her hand swept through Kagome. She was hard pressed to do anything _but_ obey, so she simply wrapped her fingers around the slender shaft.

No sooner had she touched it, did the arrow disappear in a burst of blue-ish light. Kagome was left holding nothing as the pulsing energy surrounding her dissipated. Wondering what was going on, she lifted her face to the only one who could give her some clue. Inuyasha.

His eyes were still closed, but his expression was no longer one of peaceful slumber. His brow was furrowing and his nose wrinkling. 'He's waking up!' Kagome thought in wonder. 'I can finally see what color his eyes are.'

With as close as she was, Kagome could see his eyes moving underneath the lids, searching, wondering why it was so dark. Slowly, his lashes fluttered partially open, closed again, up to half, closed, than fully open.

'Gold. His eyes are gold.' Close enough to the truth. They were more of a honey-brown, backlit by sunshine. They were amber, melted done to liquid form. They were a brilliant orange with more than a hint of yellow. They were all these and more. In short, Kagome liked his eyes.

Until they locked onto her.

The action of his eyes and the emotions behind the golden irises was telling and intense. First, blinking, lost and unsure as to where he was. Second, darting in confusion, as he tried to answer the question by himself. Third, when he finally looked down at Kagome, wide in surprise and alarm. And Last… Last was narrowed in anger. Anger and betrayal.

She shrank away from the now furious hanyou in front of her, as he opened his beautiful mouth to flash deadly fangs and snarl heatedly,

"Kikyo, you BITCH!"

* * *

A/N: WooHoo! 2 chapters in a day. I really like this chapter and I hope you do too. Enjoy!

Reminder. Questions, comment, etc. please review or e-mail to me.

Remember. Inuyasha will be tied up for my own personal use. As soon as Takahashi-sama puts him up for auction on e-bay. (back, you evil bidding harpies, back, I say!)


	4. What Goes Up, Must Come Down

A/N: Hey guys. Long time, no read. I've been busy as anything and inspiration has not come easy. Here's my next chapter. It's short, but it's all I've got (bows and scrapes).

Enjoy.

Remember: Inuyasha is not mine, oh but how I wish he was.

Reminder: Questions, comments, etc. e-mail or review. Love ya.

**Chapter Four: What Goes Up, Must Come Down**

Shocked was not a strong enough word. Neither was stunned. Perhaps flabbergasted and pissed would work best to describe Kagome's reaction to Inuyasha's first words since his imprisonment fifty years ago.

After the hanyou had shouted out his rather biased opinion of his ex-lover, Kagome had backed away as fast as humanly possible. Now ten feet away and with Kaede between the two of them, she felt brave enough to stand up for herself.

"Hey!" she yelled, her face peeking over Kaede's shoulder. "I don't know what your problem is, but don't take it out on me!" Following this statement, she then proceeded to duck behind the old woman, who was trying to figure out what this girl thought she was doing.

Inuyasha himself didn't know quite what to think. Here was the bitch who'd pinned him to a flipping _tree_ and now she was cowering behind an old witch? 'She's lucky this spell hasn't completely worn off, otherwise she'd already be dead.' He growled low in his throat to show this woman he meant business. "You're my problem, bitch, and I'll take it out on you if I want to."

Kagome slowly inched out away from Kaede, who seemed to be just standing there enjoying the show. The young woman glanced up and saw an expression of mild curiosity and anxiety on the old woman's face. Seeing that the hanyou had not moved from his spot against the tree, Kagome decided to venture farther out. She sat Indian-style in the grass and pondered why Inuyasha hadn't tried to attack yet. He was obviously angry at her for some reason. She really couldn't imagine what she could have possibly done to piss this guy off. 'Unless you count the fact that he'd been staring at my face when… he… Oh my God!'

Shooting to her feet and pointing an accusing finger at the incensed hanyou, Kagome shouted the first thing that came to her mind, "You jackass! You think I'm Kikyo, don't you!"

Inuyasha's face blanked. No one had ever called him a jackass before. Lots of other unpleasant things, but not that. He blinked once, twice, three times, before snorting in contempt, "Well, yeah. You look like her, sound like her, Hell, you even smell like her." His nose twitched slightly, drawing in the scents of the two women in the room with him. One, the older he expected, smelled of herbs and fire ashes while the other, Kikyo, smelled like… like… wait a minute. Kikyo had never smelled that sweet or warm before. She always carried the scent of cool rain, refreshing, yet somewhat cold. This girl brought to mind fields of wildflowers on warm summer days.

His discovery and subsequent deduction must have registered on his face, because this new girl was now grinning in a triumphant manner that only served to piss Inuyasha off even more. "Okay, so you're not Kikyo," he admitted grudgingly, ignoring the girl's small victory dance. Then he got an idea. "How could you be? Kikyo was braver, smarter and more beautiful than you could ever be."

Kagome halted mid-dance step, facing away from the hanyou. Kaede saw the anger and flames in the girl's eyes and wisely stepped back. Twenty feet. Which put her out of the door, down the hall, and in the common room where her tea was waiting. Kagome slowly brought her arms and right leg down to stand in a full upright position. Without facing him, she addressed the hanyou.

"Inuyasha."

Boy, she would have loved to see the flinch that the all powerful, yet still stationary hanyou gave in response to her unexpectedly composed tone. Instead she asked a simple question, "Are you still stuck to that tree?"

Inuyasha froze, wondering where the wench getting at with this question, but terrified to find out. 'Gotta fake her out.' He racked his brain and unearthed one of his brilliant diversionary tactics.

"Ummm,… no?" Okay so it had been a while.

The girl cracked a wicked grin that would have had Inuyasha running for the hills if he'd seen it (or been able to, for that matter). She was formulating a plan to get that rude hanyou to watch his mouth. 'Thanks, Gramps, for teaching me all about subduing spells.' She pulled the string of rosary beads that her grandfather had always insisted she carry with her out of her jeans' pocket. Fingering the dark beads and cream 'fangs', Kagome wrapped the necklace in both her hands and muttered a short spell, imbuing power into the strand. Inuyasha's distinctly fearful voice sounded out behind her, "W-what are you doing, wench?"

Kagome pivoted on her heel, making sure to keep her hands out of the hanyou's view. "Inuyasha," she called out sweetly. Too sweetly. The hanyou flattened his ears to block out the saccharine quality of her voice and attempted to struggle free of the spell for the tenth time since Kagome had asked if he was still stuck. Said girl was now carefully making her way over to the tree, a sickly sweet smile plastered over her lips.

Inuyasha stopped struggling long enough to get a good look at his certain doom pacing slowly towards him. She was swaying her hips in a seductively innocent manner and the hanyou had to bite his tongue to keep from drooling. The long legs attached to those evil hips were encased in strange blue leggings, while her upper body was covered by one of the strangest and shortest kimonos Inuyasha'd ever seen. Wavy black hair that stopped just above her waist flared out and emphasized her trim curves. She was actually shorter than he was, but the passion (there was no other word for it) that lit up her dark brown eyes made her appear taller or maybe just more menacing. A heart-shaped face, accompanied by full lips and a pert nose, surrounded those eyes 'She's actually very pretty. In an evil, conniving sort of way.'

"Inuyasha."

Her voice brought him back to reality. The girl was standing not a foot away, still wearing that damn smile. Inuyasha gulped down the lump of fear lodged in his throat. "Y-yes?"

Kagome cast her eyes downward in a play of harmless flirtation. "I just wanted you to know that my name is Kagome." She brought her eyes back up to meet his golden gaze. "Say it with me, Ka-Go-Me." She tapped the tip of his nose delicately with her right forefinger at each syllable

Staring into the girl's expressive mahogany eyes, he could do nothing but obey, "Ka-Go-Me."

She smiled a genuine smile this time and her eyes brightened into suns. If suns were that shade of brown, of course. Inuyasha was relieved. 'This slip of a girl is definitely not Kikyo. Kikyo was never this passionate about anything.' He had to break off his train of thought because Kagome was speaking again.

"I have one last thing to tell you, Inuyasha, then you're free to go." She was now running one of his forelocks over her fingers and the hanyou couldn't help but wish that her slender hand would reach up higher to rub his- 'No, bad Inu,' he berated himself. A deep whiff of Kagome's scent brought a surprising sense of calm and Inuyasha was able to speak clearly with this intimidating and fascinating woman.

"What is it, wench?"

Closing the (extremely) short distance between them, Kagome pulled her left hand from behind her back and carefully reached up to place the ensorcelled prayer beads over Inuyasha's head.

A clacking something passed his ears, then a line a black with white fell in front of his vision. A gentle tingle of magic left the hanyou confused, although he didn't really know if it was Kagome's closeness or the strange necklace she'd just hung around his neck. Suddenly she was gone, having taken two very deliberate steps backwards. At Inuyasha's bemused expression, Kagome only grinned and said one word.

"Osuwari."

Magic flared and the rest of Kikyo's spell was broken. However, a new spell had taken its place. Inuyasha crashed magnificently to the floor, bruising several important appendages upon impact. He glanced up warily through a haze of pain to see that Kagome had already turned and stalked out of the room, leaving him to wallow in his agony.

He groaned and, as his head sank back into the oddly comfortable hole it had made, he thought, 'What did I do to deserve this?'


	5. If You Can't Beat 'em

A/N: Hey guys! This is the chapter that would not get written. It took me forever just to get it started. Anyway. Hope you enjoy. I anticipate the next chap coming out soon (crosses fingers).

Remember: My heart belongs to Inuyasha (awww), but he does not belong to me (boo hiss).

Reminder: E-mails and reviews much welcome. Love you all.

**Chapter Five: If You Can't Beat 'em…**

Kagome emerged from the backroom feeling ridiculously pleased with herself. She'd managed to teach that rude and exceptionally cute hanyou that she was one girl not to be messed with.

"Is everything alright?"

She glanced to her left. There was Kaede, teacup in hand, peering up anxiously at her. Kagome smiled reassuringly at the old lady.

"Everything's fine. Inuyasha just needed some help with his manners, that's all." She stretched both arms over her head and arched backwards, trying to pop her back. Subduing people was hard work. "I don't think he'll be confusing me with Kikyo again anytime soon," she smirked, taking a seat next to the fire. Kaede handed her an extra cup, which Kagome took gratefully. She drew the fragrance in with a deep breath, than released it in a sigh, before she took her first sip. The warm liquid soothed her throat and nerves, both of which were raw from the morning's activities.

She was just settling in to wait for Inuyasha to reappear (which would probably be sooner rather than later), when Kaede cleared her throat to speak. Kagome turned her attention away from her tea and thoughts of a certain hanyou to see her new friend gazing worriedly out of the hut's small window. She didn't have to wait long before she found out what was bothering the old woman.

"I need to warn you of something," Kaede started.

Kagome quirked a brow in question. "What?"

The old woman sighed and turned to face her. "It was something my sister, Kikyo, did to the Shikon no Tama before she died." Kagome nodded for her to continue. "Since the Jewel was necessary in Inuyasha's redemption, she could not allow it to fall into the wrong hands. So she worked a spell on the Jewel that would shield its aura from those who would seek its power.

"Well yeah, that makes sense," Kagome said, placing her teacup on the floor. "But what does that have to do with me?"

Kaede shifted to a more comfortable position. "Kikyo set the spell to be broken when whoever was fated to awaken the hanyou appeared." She then took a long swig of tea.

"So," Kagome drawled, as each piece of new information fell into place, "in other words, a whole bunch of monsters and demons are going to be after me now, right?"

The older woman sighed, "Essentially. However," she raised one finger warningly, "there is one monster I must caution you about most fiercely." Seeing that she had Kagome's full attention, she continued, "His name is Naraku and he is an intensely powerful demon. Shortly after my sister's death, he came sniffing around the village, searching for the Jewel. Thankfully he did not find it. It is he that I believe Kikyo hid the Shikon no Tama from."

Kagome's eyes were wide with amazement. "But if he was so evil, why didn't Kikyo get rid of him beforehand?"

"I do not think she knew of him specifically. She may have only felt his ominous aura in the surrounding territory and had figured the owner of such an aura to be the largest threat to the Jewel." Kaede rubbed a hand across her forehead in a gesture of exhaustion. "Unfortunately, all of this is speculation. Kikyo was not very forthcoming with details of the Shikon no Tama." She glanced up to meet Kagome's eyes with an apologetic stare. "I do not tell you this to frighten you, child. I only wish for you to be on your guard."

The young girl smiled and nodded her head. "Of course." Then she frowned. "But I thought you would be holding onto the Jewel?"

Kaede shook her head. "Nay, child. I was only the keeper of the ensorcelled gem. Now I am too old. Nor do I possess the same strength and power that you and Kikyo seem to share. In fact." Here she stood and crossed to an adjacent wall. Lining the wall were several bows and quivers, some child sized. Kaede selected a bow designed for easy carry and one of the larger quivers filled with arrows.

"Here." She pressed both items into Kagome's lap and sank back down, sighing as her muscles protested their recent abuse. "These will help you protect the Jewel."

Running a hand over the smooth wood and tight bowstring brought back more memories of her grandfather's teachings. The old coot had insisted on Kagome learning to shoot until she could hit a bull's eye nine times out of ten. 'Grandpa,' she thought sadly, now letting her fingers caress the soft leather of the quiver. As her touch transferred to the soft fletching of the arrows, a curious feeling of confidence came over Kagome. Even though the idea of protecting some obscure jewel of power from demons still scared the willies out of her, Kagome knew she could do it. 'As if I've already been doing it all my life,' was the thought that ran through her head

Kaede clearing her throat startled the girl out of her musings. When Kagome finally looked up, she caught a brief calculating gaze crossing the old woman's face before Kaede continued where she'd left off. "Do not fret though. Kikyo's death was a horrible occurrence. But history need not repeat itself. For I believe that it was my sister's intention to have Inuyasha help defend the new Protector of the Shikon no Tama, in atonement for attempting to steal the Jewel."

"Huh?" Kagome blinked in shock. 'It'll be fun trying to convince him to do that, considering he hates me already.' It became obvious that someone else thought the idea was a dud too.

"Keh. Fat chance of that happening, old woman," Inuyasha's voice declared from behind them. Kagome turned to see the hanyou leaning up against the wall leading the back. 'Now how long has he been standing there?' she thought wryly. Apparently just long enough to hear that his ex-girlfriend was dead, if his next words were anything to go by.

"So, Kikyo died, huh?" he asked Kaede.

"Aye. Shortly after she pinned you to that tree," she confirmed, her remaining eye scanning the hanyou's face. Kagome joined her in perusing his reaction to the news. She watched as a deep sadness flitted behind his amber eyes, dulling them down to an orangey-yellow. It quickly disappeared to be replaced by the anger and betrayal that he'd turned on Kagome earlier. And this was then covered by a cocky disinterest that seeped into his posture, causing him to appear more indifferent than he really was. Kagome was on the verge of saying something sympathetic sounding when Inuyasha broke the slightly tense silence.

"Well, good riddance." He said scathingly, rolling his shoulders back as he crossed for the exit. "That's one less bitch for me to deal with." He was almost out the door when Kagome stopped him. Quite abruptly too.

"Osuwari!" she screamed.

Inuyasha slammed face-first into the hard wooden flooring, which was considerably less forgiving than the soft earth he'd encountered earlier. Shortly after making a re-acquaintance with the ground, he rose, sputtering curses and rude suggestions for Kagome to follow. When he faced the girl to really give her a piece of his mind, he was met by a roaring fury that put anything he had to say to shame.

"How DARE you insult Kikyo!" Kagome was right up in Inuyasha's face, finger practically jammed up his nose. "She used her last strength to give YOU a second chance. YOU! A sorry little ingrate of a half-demon who swiped the Jewel as soon as her back was turned." Her voice rose a couple more octaves. "She could've left you to rot on that damn tree. Hell, she could've flat out killed you. But she DIDN'T!" Now she shoved him as hard as she could into the wall and the hanyou was cowed enough to let her do it. "She loved you enough to provide you a way to be free, while she died. And all you can say is 'Good riddance'? You are such a JERK! I wish I'd never freed you, much less laid eyes on you. OSUWARI!" And with that final command, Kagome ran from the hut, leaving one very bemused miko and one very flattened hanyou behind her.

* * *

Inuyasha was floored. Literally and figuratively. No one had ever yelled at him like that before. It was disconcerting to say the least. And it didn't help that some of what the wench had said had struck a certain chord within his heart.

'No. That can't be right. If Kikyo loved me so much, why did she betray me? She can't be right.'

"Such a strange child, that Kagome." The old woman's voice disrupted his denials. "She defends the dead and those she's only heard about like they were family."

Inuyasha was able to regain some of his composure and pushed himself upright. "Yeah, well, that just proves she's crazy as well as stupid," he said with a shrug, brushing of the encounter with practiced ease (in other words, he was saving his anger for later).

The old woman glanced sharply at him out of the corner of her eye. "She was right, I will have you know. Kikyo did indeed use her final moments to ensure your future release."

He scoffed even as his eyes turned thoughtful. "Heh. And how would you know, hag?"

"I was there when she breathed her last, Inuyasha. And I was the one she explained her spells to before she died." She took a long sip of her now slightly cold tea.

"Oh, yeah?" Inuyasha jeered. "And who the hell are you to be so close to Kikyo?"

She set her cup down on the floor between them, then met his gaze head on. "I am Kaede, younger sister to Kikyo."

Inuyasha's jaw dropped. There was no way this shriveled up old prune could be that runt kid sister of Kikyo's. "B-but how?" he sputtered. "You were just a little kid."

Kaede eyed him flatly. "Fifty years have passed since that fateful day. Much has changed."

"Yeah. Kikyo's dead for one," he muttered softly, swiveling his head away from her intense stare.

The old woman's hearing was better than he thought because she answered him. "Not so dead as you might think, Inuyasha." At his blank stare, she continued. "I know now that Kagome is Kikyo reincarnated. Not the same woman, but certainly the same soul. This was how she set you free. My sister's spell was designed to react to her soul's presence, so that in essence she who bound you would also free you."

"Hold up a moment," Inuyasha exploded. "You mean that wench," he pointed out the door where Kagome had run, "is Kikyo?"

Kaede's teacup made a beeline for his head. "Ow! What was that for?" he asked, rubbing the now sore spot between his ears.

"Did you not hear what I said, you ungrateful dog?" the old woman questioned fiercely. "She is _not_ Kikyo. She only possesses the soul's core, not the mind of Kikyo. Their resemblance is an uncanny occurrence only, not a common thing." Kaede struggled to her feet and made her way to see if her cup was damaged. "If I were you, and praise the gods I am not, I would venture out after your _liberator_ and apologize to her. Now begone!" And with that, Inuyasha was booted out of the hut into the sunny afternoon.

* * *

The sound of rushing water was soothing Kagome's nerves. The stream that she'd heard that morning ('Was it really only a couple of hours ago?') was actually a decently sized waterfall, about twenty feet high, with a small pool at its base. She glanced around avidly at the scenery, while the pounding falls drowned out the anger that was trying to swamp her mind.

'I can't believe he said that about Kikyo,' she thought. Then she paused. 'Actually, I can't believe what _I_ said about her. Why did I jump to her defense like that? I don't even know who she is. Was. Whatever.' She gently set the bow and arrows that Kaede had given her, and which she'd somehow managed to grab while storming out of the hut, down on the ground, next to a rock half-submerged into the bank of the pool. She flopped down onto her chosen perch and flipped her sandals off so she could tentatively dip a toe into the water.

It was cool, a bit brisk, but not too bad. Kagome sighed as she sank both feet into the water. The chill was refreshing and relaxing to her skin. She kicked her legs gently, watching the ripples formed by her movements. Ripples. Consequences. 'What made Inuyasha attack the village, I wonder?' She allowed her mind to wander about that subject for a minute, but came to nothing definite.

"Gah," she groaned, leaning back to lay out on her rock. The sun beat down on her, warming her as the wind picked up slightly, ruffling her hair. She placed an arm over her eyes to reduce the glare of the sun. "Why am I thinking about _this_? I should be concentrating on finding a way for me and Souta to get home." That thought started her thinking about home and everything she was missing out on.

'Electricity, hot running water, Oden. Mama and Grandpa must be so worried about me.' A grin slowly formed through the unhappiness. 'I can't wait to see their faces when I bring Souta home.'

She stretched out long-ways, hearing her muscles grind and her bones pop. 'That felt good,' she thought, sitting up and curling her legs under her. Her movements caused her to notice the state of her clothes. She sniffed gingerly at the collar of her tee shirt. 'Whew, I need a bath and so do my clothes.' She glanced down at the pool of clear water at her feet. She could see straight to the bottom it was so clean. There were a couple of little fish darting around and some bits of underwater plants. And rocks. Lots of rocks. But nothing that would bite her or gross her out too much to swim with.

Kagome was just contemplating whether she should go back and borrow a spare kimono from Kaede or jump right in when a rustling noise came from above her. Startled, she looked up to the top of the waterfall. There were several bushes lining the tiny precipice, perfect for some kind of peeping tom to hide in. Making sure to keep her eye on the shrubs, Kagome bent down to pick up a hefty-sized rock. It fit perfectly in her hand, as if it wanted to be thrown at whoever was invading her privacy.

She was lining up her shot when a twig snapped right behind her. Bushes forgotten, Kagome whirled around in time to notice a huge black shape step from the tree line. Glowing red eyes and sharp glinting teeth were all she really needed to see to know that she was in big trouble.


	6. Psychoanalyze 'em

A/N: Hey all. here's the next chap. But then you already knew that didn't you. Hope you enjoy.

Do you think Inu would let me borrow his jacket for a few days? No? Maybe Takahashi-san would seeing as how she's the one who really owns it. But anyway.

I love to hear from you guys. Reviews and e-mails always welcome.

**Chapter Six: … Psychoanalyze 'em**

"Where is it?"

Kagome's brain unfroze enough to wonder what the heck 'it' could be. A closer inspection of the creature made it rather obvious that this was one of the demons that Kaede had warned her would come after the Jewel.

It was enormous, at least eight feet tall, and it's skin a nauseating green color. Scraggly hair framed one of the ugliest faces Kagome had ever seen and the three eyes didn't help much, either. Yellow teeth bared in a grimace of joy as the demon sensed the fear in its prey. Long arms that ended in club-like hands with sharp claws attached dragged on the ground. Its only saving grace was that it wasn't completely naked. A filthy cloth was wrapped around its waist, a pseudo loincloth. And let's not go into the smell. The stench was making Kagome's eyes water.

"Where is the Shikon no Tama?' the oni growled, confirming her suspicions. Its voice grated against the girl's eardrums like fingernails on a chalkboard. It took a step closer. Kagome backed up a step, her mind running through all of her options.

Unfortunately, the lovely little waterfall was a dead-end. Only a small pathway led into the secluded spot and, while ideal for privacy, it sucked for evasive action. The oni filled up the only exit and Kagome didn't think her odds for getting past the monster were all that great. 'Okay, Plan B. Scale the wall.'

A quick glance nixed that alternative. Sheer rock face all around and no handholds to be seen. Even if she could find them, Kagome doubted the oni would wait patiently for her to crawl to the top. On to Plan C. Arm yourself while distracting the monster with witty conversation.

"Umm, I… don't know what you're talking about." She could slap herself. Was that really the best she could come up with? Yes, considering the situation, it was. 'Now where is that damn bow? Aha.' She swooped down and grabbed a hold of her new bow along with one of the arrows.

She brought the arrow up, pulled back the bowstring and took aim at the oni. Unfortunately, her hands had other ideas. They were shaking so badly that when she finally shot the arrow it flew straight and true. Into a tree. Fifty feet to the left of her target. Kagome stared at the still quivering fletching in utter disbelief. The oni turned from watching where the arrow landed to face her again and the confident smirk on its face was almost too much. 'Ah, crap,' Kagome thought as she took a step back. 'Time for Plan D.' Still sporting that horrifyingly smug look, the demon stepped closer.

'Scream like a little girl.' Disregarding the fact that she was already a girl, Kagome drew a deep breath and screeched at the top of her lungs.

* * *

Inuyasha wondered what exactly the hell he thought he was doing. After being kicked out, rather ignominiously too, of the old witch's hut, he'd actually considered tracking down that wench, Kagome, and _apologizing_ to her. He never apologized! Not to anyone for any reason. Well, maybe his mother, but that was different.

So, now he was perched up in a tree engaging in his favorite past time. Sulking. And, boy, did he have a lot of catching up to do. First things first.

Fifty years. He'd been asleep (dead?) for fifty years. Inuyasha balked at the thought. What had happened since he'd been sealed? What could have happened if he hadn't been? Would he have used to Jewel to become full demon like he'd always wanted? Or would he have followed through with Kikyo's plan for him to become human?

And that brought around the next round of depressive events. Kikyo was dead. Killed by something powerful obviously. She had never even been scratched by anything demonic before. 'So why now? Uh, then,' he wondered. What had attacked her? And what had caused her to attack him? Inuyasha remembered what happened like it was yesterday. Or maybe more like this morning.

He had been on his way to meet Kikyo so they could implement her plan, when, all of a sudden, he was being shot at. Turning around showed Kikyo standing in the shadows aiming the next arrow right at his heart. Inuyasha had been stricken. Not with grief, although it had been there, but with anger. How dare she! All this time, all those words of lo- some emotion and as soon as he let his guard down, BAM! Feeling betrayed and justified, Inuyasha had ransacked the village and stolen the Jewel. Only to wind up pinned to a damn tree for the next fifty years. What exactly had he done wrong? He was the victim. How could anyone possible place the blame on him?

Inuyasha sighed. 'It's not doing any good to ask questions that I can't get answers to. Kikyo is dead and my answers died with her.' His ears perked up as something occurred to him.

'The old witch said the girl was Kikyo's reincarnation, so maybe-' The idea had some merit. Get the new girl to remember her past life, Kikyo's life, and get the full story that way. He was just about to hop down to ask Kaede how to do such a thing, when he stopped. He had never heard of anyone remembering their past lives before. 'And besides, that old woman wouldn't help. She'd just kick me out again.' He settled back against the tree again with a heavy sigh.

The only thing left to do was to go on with his life, such as it was. 'Or,' Inuyasha's brain picked up a new thread of hope, 'I could nab the Jewel and become a full demon.' The more he thought about it, the more he liked it. He had no reason to become human or to even stay a hanyou anymore. Inuyasha slapped his leg in resolve. 'That's what I'll do,' he thought. 'Now to get the-'

A strong scent of demon reached his nose. Inuyasha stopped and glanced around. The smell was coming from the direction that he'd noticed Kagome's scent headed earlier. As soon as he noticed this, a scream pierced the air. 'Oh, hell no! I'm not letting some weakling demon get to her before I do.' And he was off like a shot.

* * *

The monster was closer, barely ten feet away when Kagome nearly tripped over the quiver. Hardly thinking for fear, she grabbed another arrow and raised it on pure instinct. The oni took another enormous step forward and was reaching out to grab her, when suddenly,-

"OI, WENCH! What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Both girl and monster glanced up at the rude statement. Relief flooded Kagome's being when she saw the red clad form of the hanyou.

"Inuyasha!" she cried gleefully, certain her troubles were over. A brief flash of surprise crossed the boy's face, before being replaced with annoyance. Kagome sighed internally, her initial joy evaporating at his expression. 'I guess I'll only be a problem for him, won't I?'

A sudden growling interrupted her thoughts. "No! It's MINE, half-breed!" the oni screamed. Then it rushed Kagome, intent on capturing the Jewel.

In the blink of an eye, Inuyasha was air-born. Next moment, the oni was howling in pain and clutching the stump where Inuyasha had just sliced off its arm. Casually flicking blood from his claws, the hanyou turned to face Kagome.

"Now, why didn't you shoot the damn thing, woman?" Instead of answering the question, Kagome crossed to where Inuyasha was standing and placed a hand on his arm. The hanyou stared at her, perhaps wondering where that second head had come from.

"Thank you so much for rescuing me, Inuyasha."

Obviously taken aback by her politeness, the hanyou blinked a couple of times before responding. Or shouting, rather. "I'm only here because of the Jewel, stupid! So don't bother thanking me. Besides, you've got a freakin' weapon, so why don't you use it!"

Kagome blinked. Withdrawing her hand, she looked down at the bow still in her grasp. She stared at it for a moment as if just realizing it was there. Then she raised her eyes up to meet Inuyasha's burning gaze. "I'll have you know, I've never used one of these in an actual fight before," she said calmly.

"Than why do you have it if you've never used one before!" Inuyasha was starting to get really annoyed.

She smacked him in the shoulder. "I didn't say I'd never used one, dummy." Inuyasha bristled. "I said I'd never used one in battle, like this." She swung her arm around to include the small area surrounding the pool. As she did this, her eyes left Inuyasha's face and passed over the oni, who was trying to sneak up on the bickering couple. 'Eeps, forgot about that.'

Inuyasha had followed the progress of her arm and also saw their would-be attacker. Crouching down into a fighting stance, he cracked his knuckles menacingly. "So, you up for another round, ugly?"

The oni glared at the hanyou. "Out of my way, weakling. The Shikon no Tama will be mine and I will be all powerful."

"Yeah, you and what arm?" Inuyasha scoffed. "Some weakling I am, if I can slice you up with one swipe." He flexed his claws and prepared to strike down his opponent. Kagome sighed heavily. 'Stupid male posturing.' Then she paused, realizing something. Strange how as soon as Inuyasha arrived, she no longer had any fear.

'Hmm, go figure. The guy who makes me want to strangle something also makes me feel safe.' She contemplated it for a second more then shrugged, returning her attention to the action in front of her.

The oni charged Inuyasha, who simply leapt over it's back. He somersaulted in mid-air to land on his feet facing the demon. While the oni was still wondering where the insolent hanyou had gotten to, Inuyasha took the advantage and swiped his deadly claws through the oni's torso. Howling in pain, it whirled around flexing it's own massive claws. Instead of meeting flesh as it had intended, the oni found its head being severed clean off its shoulders. The body fell to the ground while the head flew into trees.

"Keh," Inuyasha sneered, "Stupid low level demons. Think they're all big and bad just cause they're full-blood." Completely ignoring the headless corpse and the awe-stricken girl, he ambled over to the pool to wash the blood from his hands.

Kagome could only stare. That had been beyond impressive. Inuyasha had just completely and totally saved her life. And after all she'd done to him. Calling him a sorry little ingrate of a half-demon and placing that subduing spell on him. Now she felt guilty for having done those things.

Walking slowly so as not to upset him, Kagome crossed to where Inuyasha was sitting on the shore. She could tell he was tracking her movements by the way his ears twitched. When she was parallel to the hanyou, she tucked her legs under her and settled next to him.

A glance out of the corner of her eye showed Kagome that Inuyasha was adamant about not looking at her. His face was turned away slightly and his nose was in the air. She grinned a little to herself at how childish he seemed and how cute it made him. 'Wrong train of thought, 'Gome,' she chided herself mentally.

She cleared her throat gently. A snowy ear flicked in her direction and Kagome took that to mean he was listening. "I just want to say thank you again. For, you know, saving my life and all." He hunched his shoulders and grunted under his breath in a contemptuous manner. Kagome sighed and forged ahead. "Look. I also wanna say that," she took a deep breath, "I'm sorry."

His head swiveled a bit towards her until she could see the arched brow and pursed lips that equaled a 'you may continue' expression. Pushing away the annoyance that had risen, Kagome began fidgeting with her nails. "I'm sorry I called an ungrateful half-breed. I didn't mean it. And I shouldn't have yelled at you earlier about Kikyo." She lowered her head to stare at her hands. "I don't even know why I did it. It's just- the way you were talking about her and the way you looked contradicted each other and I hate it when people think they have to hide their true selves behind false words."

"And what exactly do you know about my true self, wench?" Inuyasha's voice was full of anger and it made Kagome wince. "You never met me before and you already think you know me?" He shot to his feet, hands clenched into fists. "What gives you the right-"

"You were in love with her." Kagome's soft words brought the hanyou's harsh ones to a screeching halt. "I don't have to know you for very long to see that you're burying your pain under anger and denial." She raised her head and met Inuyasha's shocked gaze. He was surprised to see tears glistening in those brown depths. She hardly knew him and she was crying for him. Why did that unnerve him so much?

Kagome was still speaking so Inuyasha did his best to focus. "I remember the same thing happening to me when my little brother, Souta, disappeared. The loss was so overwhelming that I had to force myself to feel something else just so it wouldn't crush me." She glanced out over the shimmering pool, watching the ripples made by the waterfall. Inuyasha crouched down, hands hitting the ground between his legs, and studied her face.

Yes, she looked like Kikyo. The same nose, the same mouth, the same face. But it was her eyes that were completely different. Inuyasha could never tell what Kikyo had been thinking by looking into her eyes. They had always been the same earth brown tone regardless of circumstances. Only occasionally, when she had allowed it, had Kikyo let her emotions show.

But this girl, this Kagome, seemed to never hold anything back. Her eyes danced with colors as she let her feelings soar out of her. Inuyasha had no idea how to respond to that kind of outpouring. So he did something he thought he'd never do again. He sympathized.

"I know what you mean," he confessed haltingly. Kagome's head shot up and over, surprise engulfing the grief on her face. Inuyasha could see light tear tracks running down her cheeks and he looked away to stop himself from wiping the last remaining drops off her lashes. "When I thought Kikyo had betrayed me, I thought my heart would burst. So I decided to be angry and take my revenge out on the village. Then, after she shot me, I just-" Here he shrugged his shoulders. He didn't know how to describe how he'd felt.

A slight frown marred the girl's face. "But I thought Kikyo betrayed you when she pinned you to the tree."

Inuyasha shook his head. "No, it was before that. I was supposed to meet her somewhere, but she attacked me before I got there."

"Hm." Kagome tilted her head to the side thoughtfully. "That seems off for some reason." When the hanyou glanced at her curiously, she simply shook her head. "I need to think it over."

A moment of silence passed between them before Inuyasha cleared his throat. "So, what happened with your brother? Did you ever find him?"

A gentle smile curved her lips and the hanyou found himself relieved that it had no hint of sadness in it. "It's turned out alright now. I've found him here. Now all I have to do is figure out how to get back home." Eyes going distant with contemplation, Kagome began to chew on her lower lip. The gesture awoke a burning sensation in Inuyasha's stomach. A strange feeling, like he wanted to do something that took the girl's mind off her problems and also stop her from damaging those beautiful full lips.

Suddenly realizing what he was thinking, Inuyasha quickly turned his mind to other topics. He cleared the lump that had somehow lodged in his throat. "Where are you from exactly?" The blood was beginning to drain from his cheeks. "I mean, you're obviously not from around here, are you?"

"No, I guess not," the girl replied slowly, still thinking. "I'm not really sure how either Souta or I got here." She cocked her head to the side, as if an idea had just occurred to her, and she glanced over at him. "Maybe you'd like to help me figure it out." Then she began to chew on that damnable lip of hers again.

To save himself from another embarrassing blush, Inuyasha swiveled his head and upper body away from Kagome. "Keh!" he scoffed. "And why should I do that? It's not like there's anything in it for me."

"Then I'll make it worth your while."

This caused Inuyasha's head to whip around to stare at her and his heart to pound. What was that supposed to mean? There was no way she could be talking about- His brain ground to a halt as all possible scenarios crossed his mind. It started up again when Kagome began to explain.

"The way I see it," Kagome continued on, completely oblivious to the hanyou's indecent thoughts, "when I leave here, I'll have no more need of this Jewel thing. So, if you help me, I'll give you the Jewel when it's time for me to go home. Oh, and you'll have to protect me and it between then and now. Deal?" She held out her hand.

Inuyasha's jaw dropped. She would actually _give_ him the Jewel? And all he had to do was protect her until she found a way home? It seemed to good to be true, and Inuyasha was used to things that fell out that way, but, for some reason, one glance at the honest and open expression on her face was enough to convince him. Hesitantly, he extended his own hand and grasped hers in a gesture of agreement. "Alright," he said. "It's a deal."

She grinned widely at him and Inuyasha found himself returning it with one of his own fang-tipped smirks, though considerably more friendly than usual. They kept their hands clasped for a moment longer than necessary until Kagome finally pulled hers back and sighed happily.

" Wow," she said, stretching her arms over her head. The hanyou tried not to watch what the movement did to her shirt. "All that wheeling and dealing can sure make a girl hungry. And I'm sure demon fighting is no small feat either."

She stood, brushed off the dirt from her pants, and offered him her hand one more time. Inuyasha peered at it for a moment before replacing his hand into her smaller one and allowing her to help him up (not that he needed the help of course). Another slight smile from the girl and together they ambled back to Kaede's hut, chatting all the way.

* * *

The figure atop the waterfalls pulled back from the edge when the hanyou and the girl left the area. After she was sure that they had truly departed, she awaited further instructions. A breeze ruffling her long white hair was the only movement.

She had been observing the girl ever since she'd arrived late last night. When she had exited the old woman's hut not an hour earlier, she had of course followed. She had almost been discovered when a small stone had caused her to brush up against the bushes lining the cliff, but fortunately the demon's appearance had distracted her subject from spotting her. Then she stepped closer to the edge and angled her mirror downwards to capture the scene in its surface. When the hanyou had arrived, a deep voice that was entirely unsuitable for the small girl cursed. The events had unfolded with no further commentary and now she waited.

Finally the voice that had previously spoken returned. "Kanna, that hanyou presents a problem," it said brusquely.

Kanna lowered her arms and brought the mirror close to her chest. Turning the mirror so she could gaze at its surface, she glanced down at the figure within. She couldn't see it well for her master preferred anonymity and hid in shadows, but she already knew his face. And at the moment he was in the process of changing it.

"Yes, lord," she replied softly. Then she dared to ask more. "But why?"

Fortunately, her master was not angry at her rebelliousness. He actually answered. "I did not anticipate the hanyou to be alive. His involvement will make things… difficult. I must rethink my strategy." Kanna said nothing to this revelation. And her master expected no response. He thought for a moment then gave her a new set of instructions.

"I wish for you to keep me informed of their actions. Inform me of any possible ways we can get that girl away from the half-breed." The voice paused, then continued. "I require the Shikon no Tama. Do not disappoint me."

Kanna nodded slightly, a bare inclination, to indicate her understanding. She would do as he said without fail. She could do no less. He was, after all, her father.

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	7. Treachery in the Works

A/N: OH! MY! GOD! I hadn't realized how long its been since I've written/updated anything. Please forgive me, those of you who were waiting for this chapter. Here it is. I hope you enjoy. Please review. I miss those lovely reviews.

P.S. Inuyasha is not mine due to negligence.

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**Chapter Seven: Treachery in the Works**

The noise created by the weapon when it sliced through the air was one of the most satisfying sounds the slayer had ever heard. To know that her hand would bring down the enemy caused a joy and smugness to spread throughout her body. And that knowledge, that there was one less demon in the world to terrorize hapless villages, was a salve to her revenge driven heart. Yet it was never enough.

Sango watched calmly as her hiraikotsu bisected the giant centipede she'd been hired to kill. The two halves lie twitching beside each other, but she felt no lessening of her hatred. The boomerang swung back towards the slayer, who raised a casual hand to pluck the enormous weapon from the air. Kneeling down so she could clean the bloodied edge, Sango allowed herself to get lost in the simplicity of her task.

It was moments like these, when the hunt was over and her mind was nowhere near the concept of her next move, into which the memories and grief overflowed. Scenes of what drove her flitted across her brain, taunting and ridiculing the slayer. 'Why haven't you avenged us?' the ghosts seemed to say, 'What's taking so long?' It was never-ending.

Shaking off the guilt, she completed the waxing of the hiraikotsu's edge and began to pack up her supplies. Just as she was finishing, a piece of pottery rolled out of her knapsack to bounce off her knee. Sango glanced down and was once again engulfed in misery. It was only a teacup, but the image it brought to mind was enough to undo the slayer.

Leaning back against a nearby tree, Sango cradled the cup in her hands and wept. 'It's been over a year,' she thought dejectedly, 'and still no trace of him.' Her brother. Missing ever since their village had been destroyed by a horde of demons. Everyone else had been slaughtered except her. She had been away on assignment. When she returned to find the village decimated, her father dead, and her brother missing, Sango had vowed to never give up until she found out what had happened on that horrible day.

She sniffled and wiped away her remaining tears. 'It's been so long though. I fear I may never find the answers I seek.' Then she chuckled softly to herself, saying out loud, "At least I still have my health. And a fat lot of good that does me."

The snapping of a twig alerted her that she was no longer alone. "Don't you know that talking to yourself is the first sign of insanity?" a deep voice questioned.

Sango turned her head to face the intruder. It was a tall man, dressed in finery that only a lord could afford. He had long black hair that seemed to drink in the light and swirled around him like snakes. He was handsome, but in a cold sort of way and the slayer found herself concealing a shiver. But instead of showing fear and to cover her momentary weakness of crying, she decided to be insolent. "Who are you and what do you want?" she demanded.

The man chuckled, as if amused at her question and attitude. "I am Lord Kagewaki Hitomi. And I come bearing news for the slayer known as Sango."

"I am she," she replied warily.

Kagewaki nodded, than glanced around at the small glade and the centipede body taking up most of the space. "What I have to say may take some time. Perhaps you would be more comfortable back at the village inn?"

The slayer raised an eyebrow at the lord. "First tell me what your news pertains to before I consider hearing you out."

"A taste of the wares first then," Kagewaki grinned. She just nodded. "Very well." He settled himself down on the ground next to her pack. His gaze swept over the cup that Sango was still gripping. The slayer casually replaced it into her pack, while resisting the urge to wipe the slime that seemed to have been left by the lord's scrutiny.

"Your reputation is well known, slayer. Before it was due to your skill as a demon exterminator, but now it is because of your quest for vengeance and your brother. Yet, even for one as skilled as yourself, you seem to be having some difficulty in finding the answers you search for. That is why I have come to you."

He glanced at her face to make sure he had her attention. "I have a certain person in my employ who informs me of news in the demon world, so that I may avoid sour dealings with their kind. And he has told me of a plot involving the demon slayers village."

"And what would that be, pray tell?" she asked skeptically.

"A plot to steal the Shikon no Tama."

Sango furrowed her brow in confusion. "The Shikon no Tama? Are you sure? That relic hasn't been in the hands of the slayers for well over fifty years!"

The lord nodded. "I know that, but the demon who led the raid on your village _didn't_,

when he arranged the attack."

"So that must mean-," she gasped as understanding and dread blossomed in her mind. "They must have taken Kohaku in order to interrogate him."

Kagewaki nodded again, pleased that she had worked it out so quickly. "That is what I believe."

Sango eyed the lord. He seemed sincere enough, but Sango had learned to trust her instincts and they were telling her that there was some other motive behind Lord Kagewaki's sudden interest in her affairs. "What other information do you possess?" she asked.

"Only the whereabouts and name of the demon responsible."

Her eyes widened in shock for just a moment. Then, fast as lightening, she picked up her knapsack and surged to her feet, taking only a second to swing the hiraikotsu over her shoulder.

"Lead on."

* * *

"And you're absolutely sure about this," Sango was asking much later. She had followed Kagewaki back to the village and now they were sitting in a private room at the local inn, tea and sake lying forgotten on the table.

"My sources are never wrong," Kagewaki confirmed. "The one you seek resides in Musashi's domain just over the mountains."

The slayer took a deep breath to try and stay calm. Finally, she would get her revenge. Finally, she would find out what happened to her brother. Finally, it would be over and she could die in peace.

She bowed low to the floor in front of the lord. "I thank you for this. If I survive, I shall offer you my services as a demon slayer." Then, rising to her feet, she swore an oath to the heavens.

"I will have your head for what you have done, Inuyasha!"

More concerned with her revenge than the man still sitting on the floor, Sango failed to notice the evil, satisfied smirk that crossed the man's face, twisting it into something truly demonic.

* * *

Two days.

Two days since Inuyasha's release. Two days since Kagome had bargained with him for a way home. And in those two days, not a whole heck of a lot had happened.

Kagome sighed and leaned against the wall of Kaede's hut. The old woman had given her the task of arranging herbs that needed drying so the girl would at least have something to do. She'd decided to work outside in the warm sunshine, but she soon found herself falling into a sleepy haze.

"Achoo!"

A violent sneeze rent the air causing Kagome to startle out of her doze. She glanced upwards into the branches of a nearby tree where Inuyasha was lounging, rubbing his nose with the sleeve of his haori.

'Eww,' thought Kagome, wrinkling her own nose in response.

The hanyou's ears twitched and he switched his intense gaze down to her. "What are you staring at, wench?" he growled. Kagome just shrugged and returned her attention back to her task. A faint 'keh' told her that Inuyasha was no longer watching her either.

'I wish he would stop calling me wench all the time,' she thought dejectedly. Ever since his little confession by the waterfall, Inuyasha refused to say anything more about what had happened between Kikyo and him. Any attempts to get him to talk about it ended with a "keh" or some kind of insult. This had resulted in a lot of arguments and not a few "sits", which naturally didn't improve the hanyou's disposition. Or Kagome's for that matter. Just thinking about some of the things Inuyasha had said to her made Kagome see red.

She began tearing into the leaves that were in the basket. She tried very hard not to imagine that each bit of green was white, furry, and belonged to a certain to-remain-nameless hanyou. By the time her anger ran out, the basket was finished. She moved it off to the side and reluctantly raised her eyes upward. He was still there, cross-legged and leaning against the trunk, an intense expression on his face.

'Hm. He's thinking again. Never a good sign.'

Within the last couple of days, Kagome had noticed that Inuyasha had a tendency to sulk. He would often leap high into a tree and stay there for hours. And she could guess what occupied his thoughts. Kikyo. Kagome firmly believed that there was a missing piece to this tragic story of betrayal, something that no one would be expecting. It would only be a matter of time before it was revealed.

Or maybe Kagome had watched one too many movies. Whichever.

Sighing, Kagome turned her thoughts to how to get Inuyasha to stop brooding and, as she'd said to Kaede yesterday, 'giving misery all sorts of unwanted company'. Maybe she should try chucking things at his head. She considered the possibility for a bit, before shrugging it off. 'Nah, he'd probably just start throwing stuff back at me.'

"ACHOO!!"

This sneeze was louder than all of the previous ones and so strong that the hanyou was knocked clear from his perch. Kagome watched as he fell, with surprising grace, and landed nose down in the ground. She scrambled to her feet and rushed over to kneel by his head. "Oh my God! Are you alright?" The earth muffled his reply. "Sorry. Didn't catch that."

"I said," Inuyasha growled as he levered himself up, leaves and dirt covering his face and chest, "I meant to do that."

First the face, than that line. One would have been enough to get Kagome giggling, but both had the girl howling.

"You can stop laughing now, wench."

Kagome pushed herself up from where she'd fallen over and wiped a few remaining tears from the corner of her eye. "Oh, I'm sorry, Inuyasha. But the look (snort) on your face-" Here she collapsed back into fits of giggles, while the irritated hanyou pulled himself upright and began wiping his face off. Soon enough she was in control and only a smudge of dirt on her cheek was any indication that she'd been rolling on the ground.

She straightened her shirt than patted the ground next to her, indicating for Inuyasha to sit next to her. The hanyou glared down at her, before shrugging and flopping down next to Kagome.

"I thought you said demons couldn't get sick," Kagome asked after a few moments silence.

Inuyasha sighed, "We don't. Someone must be saying something bad about me somewhere." He paused and scratched his nose thoughtful. "Don't know who it could be though." He shrugged. "Not that it matters," he added bitterly, so soft that she wasn't sure she'd heard him.

Frowning, Kagome studied the hanyou. The crease between his eyes and the way his shoulders hunched in told her that Inuyasha was lying. The fact that he didn't know why someone thought ill of him obviously disturbed him greatly. She reached out a hand to place on his arm. He jerked back before she could touch him though. "Don't," he growled.

"Don't what?" she asked quietly.

"Just. Don't."

That was it. A sound of exasperation exploded out of Kagome. "Gah!" she screamed. "How am I supposed to work with someone who won't trust me?" She lurched to her feet, fresh anger pounding through her blood. "I've tried, gods know I've tried, but you won't give me a chance, Inuyasha." She glared down at the hanyou, who was sporting a bemused look. "You sit up in trees all day, sulking and than expect me to be perfect, just like Kikyo. Well, I've got news for you, buddy. I'm NOT Kikyo!" Kagome screamed this last part quite loudly. In fact she was surprised when nobody came running to see if she was okay. She was panting so hard that when the reply came, she barely heard it.

"I know that."

"Huh?" Kagome felt her pulse slow down, as she glanced down at Inuyasha. He was sitting with his head down, bangs covering his eyes.

"I know that you're not Kikyo." Inuyasha was speaking to the ground rather than her, but that was okay. Kagome knelt down in front of him, trying to see his eyes. No matter what he said or did, his eyes always held the truth, if only for a few seconds.

"Inuyasha-"

"It's just," he interrupted, "for me, it's like it happened only a few days ago instead of fifty years. One minute, I'm being betrayed, the next I'm being set free and being told that half a century has passed. Tell me how you would respond if it were you."

Kagome had never thought of it like that. "I don't suppose I would trust anyone either, especially someone who looks almost identical to your betrayer." She paused, letting everything sink in. "And I would want to spend time by myself figuring out what to do now."

The hanyou raised his head finally and nodded slightly. His eyes were melancholy, but steady. The gold had toned down to a tawny shade, which showed off a few green specks in the irises. 'A little more green and they could be hazel.' She shook off the thought. "I'm sorry I yelled," Kagome apologized.

"Keh. Don't worry about me so much," Inuyasha replied, rising to his feet. "I'm going to go see if any new demons have moved in, so don't leave the old witch's sight," he added.

"Okay," Kagome replied, sympathy quelling the irritation she normally felt when the hanyou treated her like an idiot and called Kaede names. "I'll make sure to stay with Kaede-baachan." She stood, brushed the dirt off her jeans, and then bent down to retrieve the basket of herbs.

A heavy weight settled onto her shoulders and the scent of fresh dirt greeted her nose. Looking down, Kagome saw brilliant red, the same color as Inuyasha's outfit. She glanced up at the hanyou and saw that he had given her his haori. He was now only wearing the cream-colored undershirt; the prayer beads a stark contrast against the fabric.

He wasn't meeting her eyes, which spoke volumes of his embarrassment, not to mention the blush on his face. "It's armor," he said gruffly. "It'll protect you while I'm gone." He made to leave when Kagome noticed the leave stuck in his hair.

"Wait a second." Inuyasha froze. She approached him until she was standing face-to-face with the hanyou. Going up on tiptoes, because of how tall he was, she reached an arm around the side of his head. "Bend your head down a bit." He did as she asked and Kagome was able to pull the leaf from his silky hair.

Even after the leaf was gone, Kagome keep stroking the soft strands. This was the first time Inuyasha had allowed her to touch his head. The temptation to tweak his ears was almost too much. But even though they had become better acquainted, Kagome knew she was pushing it, so she reined in her desires and pulled back.

Not far enough though. When Inuyasha raised his head, the two found their noses only inches apart and they both froze. Neither of them moved for a long moment. Kagome watched his eyes dart across her face, from her forehead down to her chin. 'What would happen if-' she half-asked herself, tilting her head forward just a bit. Inuyasha's eyes widened fractionally as he began to lean down.

A soft cough sent both teens reeling back from each other. Whirling around revealed Kaede standing in the doorway of the hut, a knowing smile on her face. Kagome heard Inuyasha mutter a quiet "Damn!" before he was off, bounding through the trees.

Kagome watched in bemusement. 'What the heck just happened?' she asked herself. Not only had she had the first decent conversation with Inuyasha in days, but he had also given her his jacket. And then they'd almost kissed! What was going on?!

A low chuckle brought her attention back to the older woman. "So I see you two have found something to agree on at last," Kaede jibed lightly.

A sweat drop formed on Kagome's brow. "I guess you could say that, but I have no idea what to do about it."

Kaede clapped a withered hand on the girl's shoulder. "I'm sure you'll figure it out. Now, come," she prompted, retreating to the interior of the hut. "I have to head into the village for supplies and to check on some patients."

"Alright," Kagome replied. "Let me get my shoes." She ducked inside the hut, grabbed her shoes, and slipped her feet into them. "Okay, I'm ready."

The old woman returned carrying a basket filled with medicinal herbs and bandages. "I also thought we could stop by the well where I found Souta-kun. It may be the same well through which you arrived and the way which you can return home."

"Oh, that sounds like a great idea!" Kagome exclaimed. "I am getting tired of just waiting for answers to show up by themselves."

"Aye, that I do know," Kaede teased, chuckling softly.

Kagome laughed along with her friend, but only half-heartedly. Even though she really wanted to see her mother and grandfather again, she found herself almost wishing that she would never find a way home. Smiling gently to herself, Kagome pulled the haori closer and snuggled into the fabric, inhaling the hanyou's scent. A sense of comfort stole over the girl and she sighed heavily before following Kaede into the woods. Things would work out in the end.

* * *

Nestled in the cocoon of her trophies, the oni lounged around immersed in her favorite pastime.

"Who's a pretty skull?" she cooed at the bleached white object in her hands. "Yes, you are." She ran the blood-red comb through the few strands of hair atop the skull's crown.

Really she was just wasting time until her instructions arrived. She had been approached earlier that day with an offer she could hardly refuse.

"The Shikon Jewel," she mused to her toys. "Ultimate power." She tossed the skull that she'd been playing with onto the pile next to her. She glanced around at her lovely home. Empty eye sockets stared back at her from all sides. Most of the skulls were picked clean of flesh, but there were a few new ones that still had the faces of the men they had once been.

"Yura." A deep voice sounded from outside her little cavern. Yura of the Hair descended from her hanging bower to face the demon in her territory. He was tall and wrapped in a white pelt with a baboon's head atop his own. And that was all she could see.

"Yes?" she purred, reveling in the immense power that emanated from the demon.

"You are ready," he stated more than asked.

Yura rolled her eyes discretely. It would not do to anger this creature. "I am. What would you have me do?"

"Seek out a girl who answers to the name Kagome. She is a guest of the old miko."

Yura snarled, her pretty face contorting into a scowl. "I know that old human. She tried to destroy my home several years back. I will take great pleasure in this."

Even though she couldn't see his face, she could hear the smirk in his voice. "Good. At the moment the two are on their way to the nearby village. Succeed in their deaths and the power of the Shikon Jewel is yours."

"As you wish, Naraku." She bowed low and when she arose, the hooded figure was gone.


End file.
